Process of making a formic-aldehyde compound.



5 equimolecular quantities of formic aldehyde UNITED S Paras I:

FICE;

ALFRED STEPHAN, OF GROSS-'LICHTERFELDE, NEAR BERLIN, GERMANY.

PROCESS OF MAKING A FORMIC-ALDEHYDE COMPOUND.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 6, 1904:. Serial No. 235,769.

Patented Feb. 13, 1906.

the action of formic aldehyde and the use of alkali lye as a condensing medium while being heated into a compound, not known hitherto, which has neither the corrosive qualities of carbolic acid nor the unpleasant smell of the same.

The formic-aldehyde compound can be precipitated from its alkaline solution by adding an acid to the same and is composed of two active components. It contains formic aldehyde partly in a solid combination in the phenol and is partly contained in this condensation product in unstable pro ortions. Through the enzymatic action 0 the juices of tissues and pus this compound is decomposed into formic aldehyde and into a derivateof henol. "The compound forms a slightly yel ow tin ed inodorous and tasteless powder insolu 1c in water and chloroform, but soluble in alcohol, acids, lyes, ammonia. On'bein heated this compound can develo formical ehyde. Alsoonbeingboiled {llhei al aline solution develops formic alde-' y e. It is well known that through the action of and alkali on phenol atan ordinary temperature oxybenzyl alcohol is formed. (British Patent No. 6,800 of 1894.) The same is easily soluble in water and can therefore not be used as an antiseptic powder for wounds. Accordin to. the rocess which forms the subject 0 this app 'cation the formation of monomeric oxybenzyl alcohol is avoided by effecting the union of formic aldehyde with phenol While heatin the same. In this way a polymerization o the oxybenzyl alcohol formed takes place, and the product of the polymerization is, according to the duration of the heating up to 1 00 centigrade, made insoluble in water, but soluble, in alkali. If heated too long, the product is not soluble in any solvent. As the formic aldehyde is used in larger quantities than necessary for the formation of an equimolecular roduct,

formic aldehyde which can be sp 't off is contained in this product of polymerization.

The alkali acts during the reaction at the same time as a condensating, polymerizating, and dissolving medium. That the alkali is at the same time a dissolving medium is in so far of importance as the product of the reac tioncan be precipitated out of its alkaline solution in a very finely distributed state by the addition of an acid. The more voluminous an antiseptic powder is the greater is its absorbing power.

Example: Two hundred grams of phenol areheated in .autoclaves with one hundred grams of potash lye 40 Baum and four hundred grams of a solution of formic aldehyde toabout 100 centigrade. A violent reaction takes place and the pressure rises to onehalf atmosphere. After the termination of thereaction the compound is heated on the steam-bath until acid from the liquid diluted,

The reaction li uid, the combination of 2.1-

kali, phenol, and 'ormic aldehyde, is intended to be used as a disinfectant; the precipitated, edulcorated, and dried deposit as an antiseptic powder for wounds.

claim- I Process of producin a compound of phe 1101 and formic aldehy e, consisting in heating phenol and a larger quantity of a solution offormic aldehyde of forty per cent. with an addition of lye, as a condensing medium and dissolvent, until a red-brown liquid is produced out of which acids precipitate a de osit, substantially as and for the purpose set orth. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED STEPHAN.

Witnesses:

HENRY HASPER, WOLDEMAR HAUPT, 

